1
as in strict
given to exacting standards of discipline and self-restraint
the army post's stern commander always had the utmost respect of those who served under him
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
a stern receptionist took our names without even looking up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stern
Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Nov. 2025
The ship was said to have experienced weakening metal parts that eventually fully fractured from the waves; and intense pressure at the ship's midsection that caused drooping of the bow and stern all combined with severe weather, according to the Presque Isle County Historical Museum.
—Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Kristin Shaw, Popular Science, 24 Sep. 2025
The bulwarks in the stern were cut down to main deck level, and the deck widened out to provide extra fishing space.
—Eric Duvall, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stern
Adjective
The series chronicles the decades-long relationship between Bailey’s bright-eyed and idealistic young congressional staffer Tim and Matt Bomer’s stern State Department official, Hawk.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Nov. 2025
The ship was said to have experienced weakening metal parts that eventually fully fractured from the waves; and intense pressure at the ship's midsection that caused drooping of the bow and stern all combined with severe weather, according to the Presque Isle County Historical Museum.
—Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
Both require different kinds of wake patterns that are created by special plates installed on the stern, or the back part of the boat.
—Kristin Shaw, Popular Science, 24 Sep. 2025
The bulwarks in the stern were cut down to main deck level, and the deck widened out to provide extra fishing space.
—Eric Duvall, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stern
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stern
Adjective
-
Senior officials said that Medicare beneficiaries seeking coverage for GLP-1 drugs for obesity would have to meet strict eligibility criteria and that these would follow Make America Healthier Again principles to address chronic disease risk factors.—
Alice Park,
Time,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Beyond the major races, Democrats swept state Supreme Court contests in Pennsylvania and won ballot initiatives in Colorado and Maine, where voters approved gun safety measures and rejected stricter voter ID laws.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
But encounters with the island’s residents, including with his gruff but warm-hearted landlady (played by German screen legend Hanna Schygulla), gradually alter his outlook.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Oct. 2025
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Panday plays a convincingly gruff tortured artist alongside Padda’s struggling ingenue, and most of the screen time is devoted to their pairing instead of introducing tertiary excess.—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Never use your high-beam lights.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The flame-wielder is a tough match for Mecha Man, necessitating some extrajudicial aggression as Robert lops off two of his opponent’s fingers with a beam saber.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
According to the woman, her parents’ reasoning for denying her requests was rooted in a harsh lesson about independence.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
-
Instead of buying special cleaners or reaching for harsh chemicals to clean around your home, look to your medicine cabinet for a solution.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Elizabeth’s determination not to settle the succession gave rise to fierce rivalry between the claimants to the English throne, among them Mary, Queen of Scots and her son James VI; James’s cousin Arbella Stuart; Lady Katherine Grey and her descendants; and Henry Hastings, Earl of Huntingdon.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
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Yet plans to expand America’s lab-monkey stockpile have been met with fierce opposition.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Led by a far-right authoritarian government, the country has nevertheless encouraged rooftop and utility-scale solar through a mix of government rebates and relaxed regulations.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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Unlike communism and other authoritarian systems of government, democratic socialists believe in democracy.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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That’s a grim prospect—but then, in Venezuela, yesterday’s grimmest prospects become tomorrow’s headlines with dreadful regularity.—
Quico Toro,
The Atlantic,
4 Nov. 2025
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Controversy follows Cheney While Cheney's disposition was never particularly sunny, critics assailed the vice president as a relentlessly grim figure.—
Don Gonyea,
NPR,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Whether or not Takaichi's administration is as tough on immigration issues as her campaign rhetoric suggests, some observers warn that failing to actively invest in and integrate foreign nationals into society will have lasting harm on Asia’s second-largest economy.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
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Without a consolidation of that vote in the final stretch, Mamdani appears tough to beat.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stern.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stern. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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